Most modern motorcycles are engineered to have sleek, aerodynamic designs and appearance. Such designs are not only intended to reduce wind drag but, most importantly, are intended to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle to consumers. It is also commonly recognized that motorcyclists are attracted to particular paint colors and combination of colors. Partially due to the often exorbitant cost of such vehicles, motorcyclists are generally very protective of the paint finish on their motorcycles. Although many painted components on a motorcycle are now being manufactured using various types of resilient plastics, many of the more expensive vehicles still have metal gas tanks.
The paint finish on a motorcycle gas tank is especially important. Once the vehicle is mounted, the gas tank is positioned in plain view immediately between the legs of the cyclist. Some newer motorcycles are even designed with storage compartments incorporated into or attached to the housing of the gas tank, thereby elevating the exterior surfaces of the tank upward toward the stomach or chest of the rider.
The painted exterior surface of the gas tank is generally exposed to many different destructive forces. For example, an opening that allows for the insertion of fuel into the enclosure of the tank is usually provided within the uppermost portion of the tank. The nozzle of the fuel filling hose is almost exclusively made of a hard metal material that is inserted into the tank opening. At each refueling, there is always danger that the nozzle can impact against and damage the paint of the gas tank. Furthermore, fuel can be spilt onto the surrounding exterior surfaces of the tank during the refueling process, thus tarnishing or removing wax finishes that were previously applied to protect the tank.
Since the rider straddles the gas tank between his or her legs, abrasion between the legs and/or clothing of the rider and the tank can cause damage to the paint finish. In addition, due to the ever increasing height of the gas tank, with respect to the height of the seat, motorcycle gas tanks are becoming more exposed to damage from impacts with the pant belt buckle of the rider, thereby damaging the paint finish.
Inclement weather, such as storms, rain, sleet, snow, heat, wind, and dust, can damage the paint finish of a motorcycle. Vandalism is another cause of paint damage to motorcycles.
Numerous gas tank pads, bras, and skins have been invented to protect the exterior surfaces of a motorcycle, and thereby increase the longevity and continued value of the vehicle.
Many of such devices, however, are very complex and are difficult to manufacture, install, and maintain. Such devices nearly universally require the use of numerous gas tank specific attachment means. Such devices are commonly attached to the gas tank and held in place by use of Teflon hooks, special felt covered steel hooks, custom hooks and fasteners, and/or shock cords that contact and engage various parts of the motorcycle. Other means for attachment directly to the vehicle may comprise use of holes, brackets, rivets, screws, bolts, pins, hooks, or permanent adhesive. As will be discussed further below, use of such complex securement means often requires modification, defacement, alteration, mutilation, and/or permanent destruction of at least a part of the motorcycle.
Each hook, fastener, and cord that is used increases the likelihood of further abrasion at each and every point of contact with the vehicle. Such devices are often difficult to mount to the vehicle because many different points of contact must be made simultaneously.
The seat of the motorcycle may even have to be removed to reach connection points located on the rearward most portions of the gas tank or motorcycle frame. This requires at least a partial disassembly of the motorcycle.
The motorcycle might also have to be modified to accommodate the placement of such hooks, fasteners, and cords. This may require alteration, and possibly, destruction, mutilation, and defacement of at least a portion of the original motorcycle.
The hooks, fasteners, and cords do not lie flat against the gas tank. Consequently, such elements may become juxtaposed between the body of the rider and the exterior surfaces of the gas tank. If pressure is applied to such elements, such as by the body of the rider, the painted surface of the tank may become scratched or the tank may even become permanently dented.
Alternatively, the gas tank pad, bra, or skin can be physically and permanently adhered directly to the exterior painted surface of the gas tank. Some devices are provided with an adhesive backing that can be easily applied to the gas tank to secure the device in place.
When the tank pad, bra, or skin is adhered directly to the painted surface of the gas tank, removal is usually impossible without partial or complete destruction of the pad, bra, skin, and/or gas tank. In other words, by using adhesives to secure the device to the gas tank, the device and often the fine, polished paint finish of the motorcycle may become altered, destroyed, mutilated, and/or defaced. More particularly, when the adhered device is removed from the exterior surface of the gas tank, the surface paint of the tank can become marred, pitted, faded, or torn away. Heretofore, defacement of the underlying gas tank and painted surface was likely.
Furthermore, an adhesive is used to permanently secure the device to the gas tank. Adhesives having less strength than to allow permanent securement would not be able to withstand the forces exerted against the device for which the device is being used. The gas tank would also become damaged by constant application and removal of an adhesively applied device. Residual adhesive and remains of earlier devices may even defy removal. When removed, the remains of the earlier devices and/or the adhesive will most likely have caused damage to the underlying gas tank and paint.
The gas tank pads, bras, and skins heretofore known were manufactured using: absorbent cotton backed vinyl; absorbent foam backed vinyl; permeable four-way-stretch fabric material; or extremely thin, clear vinyl or nylon.
With the possible exception of the clear vinyl or nylon, use of the other listed materials presents many dangers to the motorcycle and/or to its rider. For example, due to the close proximity of the tank pad, bra, or skin to the fill opening of the gas tank, such absorbent materials may become saturated in flammable fuel. At best, the fuel laden material will only rub up against the fine paint finish of the tank, possibly discoloring and damaging the finish. Since the pad, bra, or skin is intended to be positioned between the clothing of the rider and the tank, it can be expected that the fuel laden material will rub against and soil the clothing of the rider.
If the exterior surfaces of the metal gas tank are extremely hot or if an independent source of flame is introduced to the fuel laden material, a fire could result. Furthermore, if the clothing of the rider has absorbed any of the fuel, irrespective of whether the rider is still on the vehicle or not, such clothing can ignite and thereby expose the rider to severe physical danger.
The devices heretofore known have been very expensive to both manufacture and purchase. Such expense is understandable given the extensive manufacturing process that is required. The cover material, padded backing, piping, labels, straps, hooks, fasteners, and cords must be manufactured or purchased. The cover material, padded backing, and piping must be cut to appropriate sizes and in numerous different shapes. The variously shaped cover material must be sewn together to form a contoured cover. The piping or edging must be sewn about the edges of the cover. The labels must be sewn to the cover. The underlying absorbent padding or backing must be either sewn or adhered to the cover fabric. The straps, hooks, fasteners, and cords must be sewn to the cover fabric. Instruction materials explaining how the device is attached to the vehicle must be printed and included. The device must be packaged and then distributed to the public.
After all of this has occurred, the created device can only be applied to a single configuration of gas tank. A new product design or pattern must be used for each differently configured gas tank.
It is extremely expensive, inconvenient, and time-consuming to manufacture, store, and retrieve tank pads, bras, and skins that can fit the many different tank configurations that are produced by the many different motorcycle manufacturers.
Due to the expensive nature of such devices, a further problem is that of theft. If the device is easy to apply, the device may also be easily removed. The danger of theft makes such devices less attractive to consumers.
The inventor believes that the above-identified devices taken alone or in combination neither anticipate nor render obvious the present invention. These citations do not constitute an admission that such devices are relevant or material to the present claims. Rather, these citations relate only to the general field of the disclosure and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the inventor is aware.